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Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy says he will be ‘waiting for Putin’ in Turkey

Ukrainian president’s challenge comes after Donald Trump tells him to take up Moscow’s offer of direct negotiations in Istanbul. What we know on day 1,173

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has demanded Russia observe a ceasefire beginning on Monday and challenged Vladimir Putin to meet in person for peace talks in Istanbul on Thursday. The comments came on Sunday after the Russian president rejected a demand from Ukraine and European allies to sign up to a 30-day ceasefire, but said Russia was ready for direct negotiations with Ukraine in Turkey.

“We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow [Monday], to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy,” the Ukrainian president said in a statement. “There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.”

It was not clear if Zelenskyy was conditioning his presence in Istanbul on the Monday ceasefire holding, and there was no immediate comment from the Kremlin on whether Putin would go. In the early hours of Sunday, Putin had rejected a proposal by Kyiv and its European allies for a 30-day ceasefire, instead demanding direct talks with Ukraine without preconditions. He did not say who would attend.

US President Donald Trump had put pressure on Zelenskyy to take up the offer of talks, posting “HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!” on his Truth Social platform. Zelenskyy’s comments came shortly afterwards. Trump wrote: “President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY. At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!”

Ukraine’s European allies insisted on a ceasefire being implemented before any direct talks between Kyiv and Moscow. Russia’s offer to negotiate directly with Ukraine was “a good sign” but “far from sufficient”, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Sunday. “We expect Moscow to agree to a ceasefire that allows real talks to take place. First the weapons must be silenced, then the discussions can begin,” he said in a statement. French President Emmanuel Macron also insisted on “the necessity for a ceasefire”, the Élysée Palace said adding that Macron had spoken earlier on Sunday to his German, British and Polish counterparts, as well as Trump and Zelenskyy.

Russian secret services were behind a massive fire that nearly completely destroyed a Warsaw shopping centre in May 2024, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Sunday after a year of investigation into the case. “We already know for sure that the large fire on Marywilska was the result of arson ordered by Russian services. The actions were coordinated by a person staying in Russia. Some of the perpetrators are already in custody, the rest have been identified and are being sought,” Tusk said on X.

Pope Leo XIV has called for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and pleaded for an end to global conflicts in his first Sunday address at the Vatican. “I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people,” he said. “Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible.”

Kyiv on Sunday said that Moscow had launched more than 100 drones into Ukraine at night, shortly after a Russian 72-hour ceasefire – which both sides said was not properly observed – had ended at midnight. “On the night of 11 May (from 2:00 am on 11 May), the enemy attacked with 108 Shahed attack drones and various types of imitator drones,” Kyiv’s air force said, adding that it had downed 60 of them.

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© Photograph: Ukraine Presidency/Ukrainian Pre/Planet Pix/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Ukraine Presidency/Ukrainian Pre/Planet Pix/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock

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Trump administration offers refugee status to 49 white South Africans

Group, including families and small children, departed for US after Trump order created relocation program

A group of 49 white South Africans departed their homeland on Sunday for the United States on a private charter plane having been offered refugee status by the Trump administration under a new program announced in February.

The group, which included families and small children, was due to arrive at Dulles international airport outside Washington DC on Monday morning local time, according to Collen Mbisi, a spokesperson for South Africa’s transport ministry.

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© Photograph: Jérôme Delay/AP

© Photograph: Jérôme Delay/AP

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Trump news at a glance: Newark mayor Ras Baraka takes on Trump administration over immigration

The mayor, who was arrested on Tuesday, has vowed to take legal action against an immigration detention facility in New Jersey – key US politics stories from Saturday 10 May at a glance

The battle with the Trump administration over illegal immigration continues, with Newark mayor Ras Baraka saying he would fight his arrest in court.

The mayor was arrested on Tuesday after joining three members of Congress at a protest and press conference outside a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention facility in Newark called Delaney Hall. The mayor was released about five hours later and charged with trespassing.

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© Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

© Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

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Trump news at a glance: White House doesn’t trust Hegseth to choose new chief of staff

Exasperated by turmoil dogging defense secretary, the White House will block his new choice, sources say – key US politics stories from 9 May 2025 at a glance

Exasperated by the turmoil that has dogged Pete Hegseth’s office in recent weeks, the White House will block the US defense secretary’s choice of chief of staff and select a candidate of its own, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Hegseth had suggested giving the chief of staff position to Marine Col Ricky Buria after the first person in the role, Joe Kasper, left last month in the wake of a contentious leak investigation that brought the ouster of three other senior aides. But the White House has made clear to Hegseth that Buria will not be elevated.

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© Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters

© Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters

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Mexico sues Google over changing Gulf of Mexico’s name for US users

President Claudia Sheinbaum says lawsuit has been filed after US lawmakers voted on name change

Mexico has sued Google for changing the Gulf of Mexico’s name to “Gulf of America” for Google Maps users in the United States, Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, said on Friday.

“The lawsuit has already been filed,” Sheinbaum said at her morning news conference, without saying where and when it was submitted.

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© Photograph: Raquel Cunha/Reuters

© Photograph: Raquel Cunha/Reuters

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Trump floats cutting Chinese tariffs from 145% to 80% before weekend talks

Meeting aimed at de-escalating trade war after Chinese exports beat expectations despite slump in trade

Donald Trump has floated cutting tariffs on China from 145% to 80% before a weekend meeting as he looks to de-escalate the trade war.

Top US officials are expected to meet a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland in the first significant talks between the two nations since Trump provoked a trade war with stiff tariffs on imports.

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© Photograph: AP

© Photograph: AP

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Trump news at a glance: military to immediately remove trans troops and use medical records to oust more

Buoyed by supreme court ruling, Pentagon will remove as many as 1,000 service members. Key US politics stories from Thursday 8 May at a glance

“No More Trans @ DoD,” Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, posted after the supreme court allowed the Trump administration’s ousting of transgender troops to go forward. As of Thursday, the orders have been issued to identify and involuntarily force trans people out of service.

Department officials have said it is difficult to determine exactly how many transgender service members there are, but medical records will show those who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, show symptoms or are being treated. Those troops would then be forced out.

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© Photograph: Bo Zaunders/Getty Images

© Photograph: Bo Zaunders/Getty Images

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Ohio police find pet raccoon in car driver’s seat with meth pipe in its mouth

Chewy’s owner was detained and a bulk amount of methamphetamine was discovered in vehicle, officials say

Police in Ohio were surprised to discover a pet raccoon called Chewy with a meth pipe in its mouth during a traffic stop in the town of Springfield.

In a statement, Springfield Township police department said that one of its officers, Austin Branham, made the stop after spotting a vehicle whose owner had an active warrant and a suspended driver’s license.

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© Photograph: Springfield Township Police Department

© Photograph: Springfield Township Police Department

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AI version of dead Arizona road rage victim addresses killer in court – video

Chris Pelkey was killed in a road rage shooting in Chandler, Arizona, in 2021. Three-and-a-half years later, Pelkey appeared in an Arizona court to address his killer. Sort of. 'To Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me, it is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances,' says a video recording of Pelkey. 'In another life, we probably could have been friends.' Pelkey continues: 'I believe in forgiveness, and a God who forgives. I always have, and I still do.' Pelkey was 37 years old, devoutly religious and an army combat veteran. Horcasitas shot Pelkey at a red light in 2021 after Pelkey exited his vehicle and walked back towards Horcasitas’s car. Pelkey’s appearance from beyond the grave was made possible by artificial intelligence in what could be the first use of AI to deliver a victim impact statement.

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© Photograph: YouTube

© Photograph: YouTube

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Kick off your afternoon with the Guardian’s take on the world of football

Every weekday, we’ll deliver a roundup the football news and gossip in our own belligerent, sometimes intelligent and – very occasionally – funny way. Still not convinced? Find out what you’re missing here.

Try our other sports emails: there’s weekly catch-ups for cricket in The Spin and rugby union in The Breakdown, and our seven-day round-up of the best of our sports journalism in The Recap.

Living in Australia? Try the Guardian Australia’s daily sports newsletter

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© Illustration: Guardian Design

© Illustration: Guardian Design

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‘Will you marry me and also help me choose an engagement ring?’ The rise and rise of the ‘quiet proposal’

When it comes to popping the question, gen Z is turning its back on the grand romantic gesture

Name: Quiet proposals.

Age: This is about gen Z, so we’re talking people aged between 13 and 28, though hopefully no 13-year-olds are involved.

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© Photograph: Posed by models; JenAphotographer/Getty Images

© Photograph: Posed by models; JenAphotographer/Getty Images

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Barbie maker Mattel to raise some US prices due to Trump tariffs

Carmaker Ford says tariffs will cost it about $1.5bn this year as toymaker says it will reduce imports from China

Barbie maker Mattel has said it will increase prices for some products in the US as Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs bump up costs for the toymaker.

The US represents about half of Mattel’s global toy sales, and the company imports about 20% of its goods sold in the country from China. Mattel said it would reduce imports into the US from China to below 15% by 2026.

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© Photograph: Andy Wong/AP

© Photograph: Andy Wong/AP

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OpenAI reverses course and says non-profit arm will retain control of firm

CEO, Sam Altman, says decision to backtrack was made ‘after hearing from civic leaders’ and state attorneys general

OpenAI has reversed course in the process of transforming into a for-profit entity, announcing on Monday that its non-profit arm would continue to control the business that makes ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) products. Previously, the company had sought more independence for its for-profit division.

“We made the decision for the nonprofit to stay in control after hearing from civic leaders and having discussions with the offices of the Attorneys General of California and Delaware,” said CEO Sam Altman in a letter to employees. Altman and the chair of OpenAI’s non-profit board, Bret Taylor, said the board made the choice for the non-profit to retain control of OpenAI.

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© Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

© Photograph: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

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Three people killed and seven missing after boat capsizes off San Diego coast

Two children believed to be among missing as search continues for people believed to be migrants

Three people were killed and seven others, including two children, were missing after a small boat capsized in choppy waters off the coast of San Diego, California, on Monday.

The fatal disaster appeared to be an apparent migrant smuggling attempt, officials said. Four other people were rescued after the “panga”-style open fishing vessel washed ashore near Torrey Pines state beach were transported to hospital, according to US Coast Guard officials.

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© Photograph: Denis Poroy/AP

© Photograph: Denis Poroy/AP

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First-of-its-kind Hawaii bill raises tourist taxes to fund climate relief

Governor is expected to sign the ‘green fee’, which adds 0.75% levy to state’s existing tax on short-term lodging

Lawmakers in Hawaii have passed first-of-its-kind legislation that will increase the state’s lodging tax to raise money for environmental protection and strengthening defenses against natural disasters fueled by the climate crisis.

Hawaii’s governor, Josh Green, supports the creation of the so-called “green fee”, and is expected to sign it.

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© Photograph: George Rose/Getty Images

© Photograph: George Rose/Getty Images

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John Oliver on Trump deportations: ‘usually blatantly racist and always cruel’

The Last Week Tonight host decries Trump’s fearmongering on immigration and disregard for the rule of law

John Oliver took a deep dive through the Trump administration’s brutal and bewildering campaign of deportations on Sunday evening, starting with the White House’s “nauseating social media posts”. Posts to the official White House Instagram account include a video of shackled people led on to a plane soundtracked to the song Closing Time by Semisonic, along with the caption “you don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.”

The track “obviously isn’t the right song choice”, the Last Week Tonight host said. “The right song choice would be no song at all, because deportation Instagram reel is a combination of words that should never exist, like ‘Oscar winner Mr Beast’ or ‘Stephen Miller nudes’ or ‘Bill Belichick speaks about his relationship with 24-year-old girlfriend.’” (Semisonic has denounced the choice of the song.)

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© Photograph: Youtube

© Photograph: Youtube

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Judge cautions prosecutors in healthcare exec murder trial to refrain from public comments

Comments from legal team and Trump administration officials could prevent Luigi Mangione from getting a fair trial

During a 25 April proceeding in Luigi Mangione’s Manhattan federal court case for allegedly murdering UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson last year, the judge implored prosecutors to watch what they say – including top honchos of Donald Trump’s justice department.

Judge Margaret M Garnett pointed prosecutors to a district court policy barring lawyers on both sides from making “public commentary that could impede Mr Mangione’s right to a fair trial”.

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© Composite: Bloomberg via Getty Images, Reuters

© Composite: Bloomberg via Getty Images, Reuters

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‘The beauty of this angle is the distortion’: Sanket Khuntale’s best phone photo

The Indian photographer was delighted with the image he captured during a stroll in Pritisangam Gardens with friends

Sanket Khuntale describes Pritisangam Gardens in Karad, India as “a go-to hangout spot for everyone in town”. Khuntale lives in Mumbai now, but visits the gardens as a ritual every time he goes home to Karad. On the day he took this photo, in 2017, he was there to meet friends for an evening stroll. The gardens lie against the banks where the Krishna and Koyna rivers meet, and the group walked by the water, talking, admiring their surroundings and stopping for street food.

One of the group was Khuntale’s childhood friend Tejali, who had been stopping to pick flowers along the way. Khuntale suggested taking a photo with his mobile phone. He positioned himself behind Tejali’s head to take the shot, then later rotated the image 180 degrees.

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© Photograph: Sanket Khuntale

© Photograph: Sanket Khuntale

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Trump announces 100% tariffs on movies ‘produced in foreign lands’

President calls films ‘national security threat’ and claims he called on commerce department to immediately enact tariff

Donald Trump on Sunday announced on his Truth Social platform a 100% tariff on all movies “produced in Foreign Lands”, saying the US film industry was dying a “very fast death” due to the incentives that other countries were offering to draw American film-makers.

In his post, he claimed to have authorised the commerce department and the US trade representative to immediately begin instituting such a tariff.

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© Photograph: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

© Photograph: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

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Father of teen fatally shot by Cincinnati police allegedly kills officer with his car

Man who became distraught after viewing footage of the fatal shooting of his son crashed into officer the next day, authorities say

The distraught father of an 18-year-old shot and killed by police in Cincinnati allegedly killed a police officer with his car less than 24 hours after the death of his son.

The double killing has shocked the Ohio city amid ongoing concerns about US law enforcement’s involvement in lethal encounters with citizens.

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© Photograph: AP

© Photograph: AP

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Swimmers, dogs and democracy sausages: Australian election day – in pictures

Dogs, budgie smugglers and democracy sausages were all part of the 2025 federal election as Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton sought to win votes on the final day

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© Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian

© Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian

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Happy birthday, David Attenborough! 99 ways he has inspired us, by Barack Obama, Billie Eilish, Morgan Freeman – and many more

This week the presenter turns 99. To celebrate, we asked 99 nature lovers – including Margaret Atwood, Jane Fonda, Bono, Kate Winslet and Michael Palin – how he has helped us see the world with fresh eyes

Presenter, nature activist
It’s all about truth. Ask yourself, “Has David ever knowingly lied to me?” No, never. He may have told us things 40 years ago that science has updated, but he’s always told us the truth. In an age when it’s hard to trust anyone, that stands as his greatest asset.

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© Photograph: Alex Board/BBC Studios

© Photograph: Alex Board/BBC Studios

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